Rotary solenoid

ABSTRACT

In a rotary solenoid employing a hinged armature, an output shaft and converter means including a ball located between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in the armature and the output shaft, for converting arcuate movement of the armature to rotary movement of the shaft upon energization of the solenoid, the improvement wherein the various cams in the output shaft are double cams of different length and opposite inclination joined at their deep end. Preferably the output shaft employs two pairs of such double cams arranged in diametrically opposed locations on the shaft, and including for example, a 90* RH cam joined to a 15* LH cam and also a 90* LH cam joined to a 15* RH cam. The armature can have either a single cam or a double cam comprising two cams of different length and opposite inclination. Depending on the direction of the torsion return spring, the solenoid can be set up for either left hand or right hand operation. Further, the use of the double cams according to the present invention reduces the tooling and stocking requirements of the manufacturer.

United States Patent Ganowsky [451 June 20, 1972 ROTARY SOLENOID Raymond J. Ganowsky, Clifton Springs, NY.

[73] Assignee: Cliftronics, lnc., Clifton Springs, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 93,361

[72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-George Harris Attorney-Schovee and Boston {57] ABSTRACT In a rotary solenoid employing a hinged armature an output shaft and converter means including a ball located between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in the armature and the output shaft, for converting arcuate movement of the armature to rotary movement of the shaft upon energization of the solenoid, the improvement wherein the various cams in the output shaft are double cams of different length and opposite inclination joined at their deep end. Preferably the output shaft employs two pairs of such double cams arranged in diametrically opposed locations on the shaft, and including for example, a 90 RH cam joined to a 15 LH cam and also a 90 LH cam joined to a 15 RH cam. The armature can have either a single cam or a double cam comprising two cams of different length and opposite inclination. Depending on the direction of the torsion return spring, the solenoid can be set up for either left hand or right hand operation. Further, the use of the double cams according to the present invention reduces the tooling and stocking requirements of the manufacturer.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED Z i972 r 3,671,898

2e 24 FIG. 1 FIG. 2

INVENTCR.

RAYMOND J. GANOWSKY ATTORNEYS km KW v ROTARY SOLENOID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to rotary solenoids of the clapper type and more particularly to an improved cam design for the armature and output shaft.

2. Description of the Prior Art The rotary solenoid described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,831 has only one converter cam race for the armature and one for the output shaft, which represents one rotation, either left or right hand, depending on the direction for which the cams are cut. The solenoid of the present invention has the capability of being set up for either left or right hand rotation, depending on how the return spring is set. The present invention also provides a production advantage in the tooling and stocking of parts.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bidirectional rotary solenoid.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary solenoid reducing tooling and stocking costs of the manufacturer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A rotary solenoid of the clappertype employing a solenoid housing, an annular solenoid coil winding within the housing, an output shaft mounted for rotary'movement within the coil winding, an armature hingedly connected to the housing for movement toward the shaft responsive to the magnetic field of the coil, and converter means between the armature and the shaft for converting axial movement of the armature to rotary movement of the shaft. The converter means includes ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in the armature and shah. The cam on the armature can be either a single cam or a double cam of two cams of different length and opposite inclination joined at their deep ends. The shaft cam preferably employs two pairs of double cams of different length and of opposite inclination joined at their deep ends, the two pairs being in approximately diametrically opposed positions on the upper cam surface of the shaft. The short cam of the two adjoining cams is preferably positioned slightly deeper in the part than is the long cam, to provide a better stopping position for the ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description thereof, when readin conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a rotary solenoid according to the present invention in its de-energized position;

FIG. 2 is the solenoid of FIG. 1 in its energized position;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a bi-direcn'onal cam in its de-energized position;

FIG. 4 shows the cam of FIG. 3 in its energized position;

FIG. 5 shows the cam of FIG. 3 in its de-energized position but biased for the opposite directional rotation;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 3 showing bidirectional cams of the present invention of different length and of opposite inclination;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6 except that the armature has only a single cam; and I FIG. 8 is a top view of the upper cam surface of an output shaft of the present invention having two pairs of approximately diametrically opposed double cams.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a rotary solenoid 10 according to the present invention comprising generally a machined or formed solenoid housing 12 provided with an annular groove 14 in a top surface 16 thereof. A suitable annular solenoid coil winding 18 is positioned in the groove 14. Mounted on the bottom of the housing I2 is a torsion return spring 24 suitable for attachment to a rotary output shaft 26, for returning the output shaft 26 to its arcuate orientation shown in FIG. I, after deenergization of the solenoid 10. A spring retainer 28 holds the spring 24 onto a bottom surface 30 of the housing 12.

According to the present invention the spring 24 is removably mounted on the housing 12 and the shaft 26 and it can be reversed and placed back in position on the housing 12 and shaft 26, such that the spring 24 will now exert a return force in the opposite direction on the output shaft 26.

The output shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing means 32 within a central opening 34 in the housing 12.

An armature 36 is hingedly connected by a flexible spring hinge 37 to the top surface 16 of the housing 12 and a dust cover 38 is connected to the housing 12 and encloses the armature 36. The armature 36 includes an opening 40 through which an adjustable limit screw or post 42 extends for limiting the upward movement of the armature 36.

Converter means 44 are provided between the armature 36 and the shaft 26 for converting downward axial or arcuate movement of the armature 36 into rotary movement of the shaft 26, in response to the magnetic field of the solenoid coil winding I8 when energized. The converter means 44, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a single ball 46 positioned between and coacting with a pair of oppositely inclining converter ball race earns 48 and 50in a lower surface 51 of the armature 36 and in the upper surface 16 of the output shaft 26, respectively.

FIG. 2 is identical to FIG. 1 except that the armature 36, ball 46, and output shaft 26 are shown in their energized positions.

FIGS. 3-5 diagrammatically illustrate the structure and operation of the bidirectional cam. FIGS. 3-5 shown the armature 36, the output shaft 26, and the ball 46 positioned between the armature 36 and the output shaft 26 for translating axial or arcuate movement of the armature into rotational movement of the output shaft 26. The cam 48 in the armature 36 comprises a first cam 52 and a second cam 54 which are oppositely inclined and which join at their deep ends 56 of the earns 52 and 54. The output shaft 26 also has two adjoining, oppositely inclined earns 58 and 60 joined at their deep ends 62. FIG. 3 shows the converter means in its de-energized position with the ball 46 in the shallow end of the cams 52 and 60 in the armature 36 and in the output shaft 26 respectively. In this orientation the spring 24 biases the shaft 26 for clockwise rotation. FIG. 4 shows the structure of FIG. 3 and of FIG. 5 in the energized position. FIG. 5 shows the identical structure of FIG. 3, except that the spring 24 has been reversed in order to change the rotary stroke direction; in FIG. 5 the bias of the spring 24 is for counterclockwise rotation. The ball 46 is positioned in the shallow ends of the cams 54 and 58 in the armature and output shaft respectively. In order to provide a good stopping position for the ball 46, it is sometimes preferable to provide a detent in the deep ends joining two adjacent cams because of the shallow angle in the shaped cam surfaces that would otherwise exist at the ending position of rotation. However, for shorter stroke solenoids a detent wipes out a large portion of the cam in the armature and in the shaft.

According to the present invention the disadvantages of a detent in a bi-directional cam are eliminated by constructing the cams as shown in FIGS. 6-8. FIG. 6 diagrammatically shows the armature 36, the shaft 26, the ball 46, and an improved cam according to the present invention. The cam in the armature 36 comprises the two different cams of a left hand cam (L.H.) 70 combined with a 15 right hand (Kl-I.) cam 72. The shaft 26 employs a 90 L.l-I. cam 74 combined with a 15 R.H. cam 76. Both of the shorter rotation cams i.e.,

earns 72 (i.e., 76) are preferably lower in the part than the longer rotation cam. A difference, for example, of 0.002 to 0.003 inches has been found to be very satisfactory. With this construction, the ending position of the 90 cam coincides with the ending position of the 15 cam, except that the 15 cam is slightly lower in part than the 90 cam. The ending position of the ball 46 thus provides a good stopping position for the ball. The difference in depth can be increased or can be eliminated if desired.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention employing the shaft cams 74 and 76 of FIG. 6, with a single armature cam 78, which provides a good stopping position for the ball 46, without employing the difference in cam depth shown in FIG. 6. Alternatively, the shaft cam can be the single cam and the armature can have a double cam.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention, wherein an upper cam surface 79 of the output shaft 26 is provided with two pairs of bi-directional cams. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the two pairs include a 90 left-hand cam 80 joining a 15 right-hand cam 82 at their deep ends (represented by dotted line 83), and a 90 right-hand cam 84 joining a 15 left-hand cam 86 at their deep ends (represented by dotted line 87). The two pairs of cams are located in approximately diametrically opposed position on the upper cam surface 79 of the output shaft 26. The lines 80A 82A, 84A and 86A represent the center line of the ball 46 in the de-energized position. The angle between line 84A and line 87, for example, is 45.

The combination of cams shown in FIGS. 6-8 is only exemplary of the possible combinations according to the present invention. Standard cams include, for example, 15, 25, 45, 60, 90, etc. While it is preferable to have a long stroke such as 90 combined with a short stroke such as 15, other combinations such as 25 and 90, and 15 and 60, for example, can also be made. The single armature cam can be used with either a double cam in the shaft or with a pair of double cams in the shaft. Any combination of the above cams can be employed. The pair of double cams on the shaft provides an additional advantage in that in punching the cams, the punching process is improved by punching on opposite sides of the shaft at the same time.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be efiected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary solenoid including a solenoid housing, an annular solenoid coil winding within said housing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said coil winding, an armature axially movably mounted relative to said shaft responsive to the magnetic field of said coil winding, and converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature towards said shaft to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said armature and said shaft, the improvement wherein the cam on said shaft includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said armature cam is a single cam.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cam on joining long cam.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shaft includes two pairs of said two cams in approximately diametrically opposed positions on the upper cam surface of said shaft.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said an'nature cam is a single cam.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said cam on said armature includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein each of said different cams includes a long cam and a short cam and wherein the short cam has a lower deep end than does the adjoining long cam.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said armature is hingedly connected to said solenoid housing and wherein said ball means comprises a single ball.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said armature cam is a single cam.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said cam on said armature includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.

12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein each of said different cams includes a long cam and a short cam and wherein the short cam has a lower deep end than does the adjoining long cam.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said long cams are cams and said short cams are 15 cams and wherein the deep end of each of said short cams is about 0.002 inches deeper than the deep end of the adjoining long cam.

14. In a rotary activating device of the clapper type including a casing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said casing, an armature axially movably mounted relative to said output shaft, converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said armature and said shaft, and means for forcing said armature axially towards said shaft for causing rotation of said output shaft through said converter means, the improvement wherein the cam on said output shaft includes two cams of difierent length and of opposite inclination joined adjacent their deep ends.

15. In a rotary solenoid including a solenoid housing, an annular solenoid coil winding within said housing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said coil winding, an armature axially movably mounted relative to said shaft responsive to the magnetic field of said coil winding, and converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature towards said shaft to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said annature and said shaft, the improvement wherein at least one of said cam surfaces in said armature and in said shaft includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said armature cam is a single cam. 

1. In a rotary solenoid including a solenoid housing, an annular solenoid coil winding within said housing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said coil winding, an armature axially movably mounted relative to said shaft responsive to the magnetic field of said coil winding, and converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature towards said shaft to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said armature and said shaft, the improvement wherein the cam on said shaft includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said armature cam is a single cam.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cam on said armature includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said different cams includes a long cam and a short cam and wherein the short cam has a lower deep end than does the adjoining long cam.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shaft includes two pairs of said two cams in approximately diametrically opposed positions on the upper cam surface of said shaft.
 6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said armature cam is a single cam.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said cam on said armature includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.
 8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein each of said different cams includes a long cam and a short cam and wherein the short cam has a lower deep end than does the adjoining long cam.
 9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said armature is hingedly connected to said solenoid housing and wherein said ball means comprises a single ball.
 10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said armature cam is a single cam.
 11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said cam on said armature includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.
 12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein each of said different cams includes a long cam and a short cam and wherein the short cam has a lower deep end than does the adjoining long cam.
 13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said long cams are 90* cams and said short cams are 15* cams and wherein the deep end of each of said short cams is about 0.002 inches deeper than the deep end of the adjoining long cam.
 14. In a rotary activating device of the clapper type including a casing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said casing, an armature axially movably mounted relative to said output shaft, converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said armature and said shaft, and means for forcing said armature axially towards said shaft for causing rotation of said output shaft through said converter means, the improvement wherein the cam on said output shaft includes two cams of different length and of opposite inclination joined adjacent their deep ends.
 15. In a rotary solenoid including a solenoid housing, an annular solenoid coil winding within said housing, an output shaft mounted for rotary movement within said coil winding, an armature Axially movably mounted relative to said shaft responsive to the magnetic field of said coil winding, and converter means between said armature and said output shaft for converting axial movement of said armature towards said shaft to rotary movement of said shaft, said converter means including ball means positioned between oppositely inclined cam surfaces in said armature and said shaft, the improvement wherein at least one of said cam surfaces in said armature and in said shaft includes two cams of different lengths and of opposite inclinations joined adjacent their deep ends.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said armature cam is a single cam. 